Lorenzo let out a groan when he saw these pictures. Believe it or not, it was not a groan of disgust and it sure as hell didn’t have anything to do with the singing pupa. No darlings, it was a groan of pure lust. For that jacket. “You’re on your own with that one,” said Tom. You see, T thinks this is a very cute jacket but that it’s got a distinctly young vibe to it. Granted, we don’t know many young people who regularly buy jackets more expensive than your average mortgage payment, but still. L counters that a classic varsity jacket shape can be styled correctly for your average past-his-teen-years gay blogger so that he doesn’t look like gay mutton dressed as gay lamb. Tom is not so sure he believes that. Really cute jacket, but probably only for the fetal to wear.

It would look adorable on my 2-year-old niece. On a male? Even if he is openly gay I’m not sure this jacket works on anyone over age 3. Especially with the bright red “Don’t lose me in the store, grandma!” color scheme. (Sorry, L.)

I love the jacket – it’s about the only new fair isle style I’ve seen that I think really looks stylish. It IS very youthful – but I think any age could pull it off. The key would be a lean build, otherwise, it would be very….Big Boy does Christmas?

MilaXX

cute, but for the young’uns. over 25 need not apply

Anonymous

I think there needs to be a decimal point there. Over 2.5 need not apply.

I actually dispute this jacket for the very thin. He looks exceedingly strange with the bottom hum unbuttoned. Varsity (style) jackets look amazing on football-player-type bodies. Needs some shoulders and a trim waist. Fetal perhaps, but fetal with some muscles.

Yea. Very cute, on this kid. This NBC telecast started off my Thanksgiving in St. Louis where my five year old niece spent the rest of the time making collages and writing “I love you Justin” and I got to watch Never Say Never (which of course the family owns). I was so ignorant before this that I didn’t even know he was Canadian. Did you know there are Justin Bieber Christmas ornaments? I am especially thankful that he cut his hair.

It is a cute jacket. I wish he was wearing it with the collar down. And Boy needs to pull his pants up. that look is SOoooooooooo over.

scottyf

Unfortunately I think we’re just going to have to get used to it, my friend. Any time a trend crosses from one cultural group to another, I think it’s safe to say it is here for a while. I just ask all of the young men I know to at least make sure their underwear is clean. *sigh*

Thanks, Scotty for your efforts to make this world a more appealing place, by monitoring our younger men’s underwear situation. I have a young coworker who puts us all through the torment of seeing several inches of his not very attractive boxers every time he bends down.

Anonymous

Yeah, I’m afraid that trend isn’t over. That is, it WAS over, about 10 years ago, and then it came back. I still see it all the time: young men hobbling like they’re wearing high heels because they can hardly walk.

the worst was watching a guy with his waistband around his upper thighs trying to ride a bike.

scottyf

I can’t get mad at ’em. The revolution of fashion is fascinating to me. When I was in High School, we used to wear pants a little lower on the waist, with a pair of brightly colored boxers sticking over the waistline. We helped to start the trend and now the young’uns have taken it a few steps further.

I’m actually waiting for the day when the style is to wear your pants around your ankles. We will have come full circle: all the homeboys will be shuffling like Stepin’ Fetchit. ROTFLMBAO

Anonymous

Oh, Scotty. *sigh*

Anonymous

I’m so happy my 16 yo son asked me to take him belt shopping because he
refused to be associated with that trend. He is ridiculously skinny
(6’4″, 135 pounds) and pants naturally fall off him.

Ha! You’re giving me too much credit. The poor lad looks a bit like Bieber and does what he can to not dress or get his hair cut in any way that might heighten the resemblance. My 12 yo daughter’s friends get ridiculously giggly around my son. It is freakin’ HILARIOUS — their reaction to him, and his reaction to their reactions…

Oh geez what an additional burden for him to deal with, as if being a teenage boy isn’t bad enough. lol But I can only just imagine the internal squirming he goes through, especially with the attention coming from his own sister’s friends.

Anonymous

And, OMG, they’re TWELVE! If they were 14, he’d still squirm but it’d be soo much less embarrassing.

….and it’s 30% off, only $1,500.00 US! What a bargain…and yes, it’s NEARLY my mortgage payment. It’s cute, but I think the bright red color scheme limits it to the young’uns. If it were offered in a nice dark grey, then I’d say go for it, if you have the wherewithal and the thought of spending 15K on a piece of outerwear doesn’t make you break out in hives…

In particular if its a piece of outer wear you will only be able to get away with wearing like 5 times before everyone you know says, “THAT old thing again?”

Anonymous

I worry about Lorenzo, can an impulse Corvette purchase be far off? It’s a cute jacket, cute being the operative word. I can assure you, there will be plenty of mutton (and well aged beef) sporting this jacket in PS and South beach come January and the more sensible queers will laugh openly and mock mercilessly. As far as the Biebs… one look at this pic and surely no one believes he inpregnated a WOMAN, right?

Somehow it looks kind of odd – too long maybe? It feels like a weird hybrid of varsity jacket and Christmas sweater that just doesn’t quite fly. Sorry T – OUT.

scottyf

From the images we’ve seen of Lorenzo, I think he could pull it off. If I remember correctly, he’s got a boyish, cute quality that–with the right styling, ensemble and accessories (fierce grey wrap scarf, maybe)–would look quite charming. I could see him with a gaggle of nieces and their friends at the Rockefeller Rink drinking cups of hot chocolate and giggling.

Us boyish looking, middle aged fellows can get away with that. 🙂 Just sayin’.

Anonymous

Link to those images, please? I’ve been SUCH a good girl this year, Santa. Honest.

Cute, but only for the the under 21 and maybe the grandparent set. Not so much for people in between.

Naomi Calmatuianu

Loving the jacket but don’t think anyone beyond mid-twenties should try to pull it off…….

Anonymous

sorry, Uncle Lo, but this one is definitely for the youngsters. Bieber’s almost too old for it.

Anonymous

I think this would look cute on a young teenage girl. Oops.

Tie Lorenzo down if you must. The nieces and nephews will skewer him.

Anonymous

it reminds me of one of the cringe worthy jumpers Mister Darcy was forced to wear by his mum to the Chicken Curry Christmas Buffet…..

Anonymous

Love it!

Anonymous

NAY!

The only place that should be worn is to an ugly Xmas sweater party. I’d love to see the “wtf” expressions on the rich boys opening this present from their grandmas…XD

Aside from this being hideous, the proportions of the pattern and white seem odd. Granted, the Biebs doesn’t have any shoulders to fill this out, but this isn’t doing him any favors to conceal that, plus, it looks too tight on him.

Lori and Carl Sandstedt

YEA!!! I am not a fan and rarely watch early morning TV, but when I saw his jacket I almost died. I want one badly. Thanks for identifying it…I had no idea it was Junya Watanabe.

Anonymous

Love the jacket. Love gay mutton dressed as gay lamb.

Kyle Crawford

No. We do not now or ever have to think about what this child is wearing…… TLo fail.

A sign of my longtime devotion — I said to myself, “self — Lorenzo is going to love this.” Okay, I love it too, where can I get knock-off for under $100 for my kid?

Anonymous

Yea, but with stern caveats. Requires shoulders wider than your waist and a certain gravitas in your demeanor to wear it past a certain age (mmm – late 20s). If you otherwise look like you’re trying too hard to look young, this would be the cherry on the sundae. If not, good to go, you stylish thang!

[This is the second time in a row I’ve forgone my usual side in these debates (Tom) to vote with Lo. Do I have a taste blind spot or a rare moment of fashion perception when it comes to sweaters?]

Anonymous

Great minds, FA. I just posted about Donny O! But you nailed it with the Christmas Special. Perfect!

Peter Hepburn

God help me but I’m with Lorenzo on this one. But only if I can get one, too.

Eh, he looks fine. I am of the Bieber Fever age group and I’ve never felt anything but annoyance for his affectations. So… I guess I hate this, then.

Anonymous

I’m afraid many homosexual gentlemen cling to the illusion that they are “boyish” far beyond their sell-by date, and end up looking far sillier than they could ever imagine. It’s one thing for a guy in his mid-thirties or early forties to look younger than his years; it’s quite another for him to dress up like Little Lord Fauntleroy and call everyone “daddy.” This jacket is only for the zygotes who are too young to drink legally.

Anonymous

As soon as this jacket gets one stain, it’s over. Very Murphy’s basement circa 1988.

Annie Leung

Looks very young to me, I think Bieber might even be too old for it. I could see myself buying something like this for my nephew when he reaches toddler age.

I hate the way this kid dresses. Maybe it’s me, but there is no way I could be attracted to someone who’s style is like his, which, I’m sure someone is being paid big bucks to dress him. He is just not cute, and the weirdly feminine clothes he wears all the time, combined with his very feminine face, just make him look like, as you said, Rachel Maddow. Although I don’t even think she dresses as feminine as JB does. As for the coat…. eh. It’s alright. Sort of young. But I’m sure anyone with some good style could make it look great!

Anonymous

With the snow cones? I was going to say no, but I guess I’d let it pass only for Xmas, if your are incredibly cute, unaffected and with a great sense of humor. And just once -like, don’t make it a tradition.

Can we please discuss why is the dropping pants thing STILL not over?? Cher Horowitz made the point quite a while ago now…

Jessica O’Connell

Sorry Lorenzo, I’m with Tom on this one… it’s a little young for anyone over the age of 12. I don’t even really think he can get away with this…

Hell, yes, that jacket is IN! But if you’re outta high school, you’re probably too old for it. Damn it…

Anonymous

No. I don’t like his hair either. Or his singing.

Anonymous

I kind of like the jacket, but I don’t think he’s wearing it right. Where’s the scarf at the neck? And it looks a tad small on him.

As for the Beebs himself, the falling-down pants and the grandma’s-pearl-earrings are just so douchey and prove that this kid has zero style of his own. So the overall look is making me vaguely ill.

It’s nice to be back, you guys! Missed you all!

Anonymous

I get you, but I think he’s too young to even have his own style. So the sad thing is he is a feast for hongray stylists -after all, they are not in the picture and, whateva, the boy is young, he can do an interview about how silly he looked later on.

They have tried to produce a combination of hip hop artist + NOKTB + Disney star, and the result is creepy. Those earrings make me cringe!

I mean, what fate has a child whose main concern as a teenager was his hair?? And will they ever let him show secondary sexual characters -at least an incipient beard?

I think I finally see what you’re going on about with the Lesbians cracks.

Anonymous

Haha. When I saw that jacket I thought, “Oh, it is a Christmas Fair Isle and university jacket rolled into one. Wonder if Lorenzo will like that or will it be too much for him?”

I say In for performance purposes, but Out for regular daily wearing purposes. Unlike Reese’s, these are two great tastes that don’t necessarily go great together. I think the Fair Isle on the jacket is too goofy.

That jacket costs ELEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS. On SALE. I’m doing Christmas for five kids, my husband and our families for a thousand dollars. I honestly don’t get how you go into a store and say, “THAT. That’s what I want to spend my eleven hundred bucks on!”

Fashion lust. Definitely guilty of it myself, though not in this instance. I’m a sucker for anything fair isle though. But this kid…he just looks like a 12-year-old with diamond earrings. I just can’t.

I think whatever cuteness this jacket had, has been sullied by little Bieber Maddow, so NAY.

I also think it would probably make any adult man look like Gay Uncle Christmas.

Anonymous

Sorry, Lo, NAY. Although I think the idea is interesting, this would look fatally stupid on anyone beyond very early adolescence. On those appropriately aged it would just look dweebishly stupid, especially when combined with stud earrings, a jar of Dippity-do and drop-trou. See above.

bookish

NAY. I just don’t like the combination of varsity jacket and Fair Isle. I like both styles separately, but not together like this.

Anonymous

I’m with Tom on this one, Sorry Lorenzo. Maybe for an über themed out Christmas party, but I can’t see anyone wearing this non-ironically now that The Bieb has laid claim on The Today Show.

Anonymous

Oh, the minute I saw this, I said, “Lorenzo will totally love this.” My husband asked, “Who’s Lorenzo?!” I have some “splaining” to do.

foodycat

Really cute jacket but now no longer appropriate for anyone to wear because of that picture. I like the cheerful red, but the Bieber association now kills it.

Anonymous

It’s cute, but I have to say NAY to anyone over 27 wearing one. Fortunately, Lo is 26, so go ahead!

I don’t even think I’d go over 18 with that jacket. It’s pretty cutesy

Anonymous

Ugh. For no one.

Anonymous

I had a winter vest/sweater set in the 80s that looked like this. Cute on a 14-year-old girl, but after that it’s a little bit of a stretch. Sorry, Lorenzo. (I did really like the Fair Isle sweater Zachary Quinto was wearing the other day, though. How cute would that be on a walk in Central Park with T.?)

The amount of irony one needs to wear this is beyond the age range of those who would look good in it.

Anonymous

Exactly! Irony isn’t easy.

Anonymous

The first thing I thought was this preppy/jock combo would totally sell out in the 80’s when I was a teen. Sorry, Lorenzo. It’s not that it’s not your time to wear this jacket, it’s that you’re just too timelessly fabulous for fashion to keep up with you.

Anonymous

This bitter kitten thinks “singing pupa” is brilliant (especially since she just visited the butterfly house at the Natural History). Of course Lorenzo loves that jacket. But when he tries it on (this or a more affordable version) he’ll need gay uncle with him to take a look and give him the yea or nay.

Even then, I wasn’t into the pretty boys. I wanted Parker Stephenson instead (she says with just a touch of irony.)

Anonymous

Oh jesus christ no.

Joyce VG

Nay son.

Anonymous

I like the jacket but not all buttoned up, it makes it too young, even for Justine. So out.

Anonymous

Oh, Lo. You could pull it off in a more muted colorway featuring a Navy or Deep Forest, but the icky Red Heart SuperSaver Holiday collection color scheme delivers this jacket to the Tacky heap regardless of age.

Also, my daughter feels that the Beibs is too “babyish” and “girly” to be crush-worthy. SHE’S NINE.

margaret meyers

She’s nine and she can already spot the lack of manly vibe. A prodigy!

While this pattern in this color will always be stylish (ask any Scandinavian–we’re all in with the red and white snowflakes!) but it looks silly on this jacket. And even sillier on Bieb. Also, please don’t call him a singer–he’s a pop star. Not the same thing.
So–Lorenzo–just step away from the jacket and save your pennies for something really classic.

Kwei-lin Lum

The catalog version is a muted cherry red with a shadowy white and the kid’s version is bright fire engine red with yellow white. I wonder if the sweater was specially made for Justin Bieber in a more annoying childlike color scheme. I think an older person could wear the catalog version to go to a family Christmas party and look fun. Or out about town for shopping during the holidays. Lots of money for a seasonal item not worn onstage.

Anonymous

I can’t tell. Bieber ruins everything he touches.

Anonymous

Lo-no. the beebe looks like a larvae wearing a fair isle sweater vest over a varsity jacket. and i have an aversion to cream and white in the same garment. there are so many gore-juss fair isle sweaters out there for the holidays. go buy one now and take T for that walk in the park. send pictures.

I like it. Also, am I the only one that thinks it looks masculine? I can’t see a girl wearing this like a guy would.

margaret meyers

That waist band, like on Levis jackets and battle-style leather jackets, can be really bad for a woman’s figure. The waist has to hit you at just the right place, the jacket has to be a little oversized but not too much, and you cannot have much hip on you.

The jacket is adorable, but I’m only 23, and I already feel I’m too old to pull it off.

Ruth Gottesman

Sorry, honey, that one’s only for the lambs.

Anonymous

Before I even scrolled down I knew that L would love it and it was all about the jacket, which only proves that I spend way too much time on this site. I think if everything else was kept simple and on the darker side, and the person in question was styled impeccably with the right “grown man” pieces…it could work. I am open to the possibility. Go on with your bad self L. YEA.

One day, Justin’s grandmother found a trunk full of clothes that had belonged to his dad back in high school. Among the remnants, dad’s old varsity jacket and a ugly Christmas sweater that Auntie Helga knitted for him. Granny had a wonderful idea….

&, yep, anyone of any age can wear it, provided he or she provides the proper panache, meaning: includes a great gobletful of irony. or sardony, take yr pick. as the kids of some today once said, it’s all about the attitude.

edited to add: although it is the y chromosome version of two, two, two dresses in one!

Anonymous

I hate that thing and I hate the thing that’s wearing it.

Anonymous

No matter how much he bothers me–I think it’s a great look. But I want to 1. pull his pants up and 2. relax his face that is squeezing out fake emotion as he sings.

Joshua

I think the jacket suits him, even in spite of the fact it encourages the whole lesbian vibe he’s had going. I suppose it’s too much to think Bieber is actually interested in breaking traditional gender stereotypes with such a flamboyant varsity jacket, but I think it’s nice to see a young “straight” kid camping it up from time to time, even if he is essentially told what to wear. It definitely suits his personality, and I bet the young girls and gays are eating it up. But I think Andrew Garfield is just at the older end of people who can get away with wearing a varsity jacket though.

Anonymous

Lo you can rock this jacket in the navy

margaret meyers

That is a hot jacket… but it would be way hotter on a man with some shoulders.

NAY. No matter how bad a look is, I’ve seen very few on this site which were so bad that they made me laugh out loud. This one did. These two looks are so distinct and striking on their own, that juxtaposed together they are just overpowering. It has the sort of campy, over-the-top feel of a toddler’s jacket. If the design work on the wool was more of an accent, then it might work.

Anonymous

That jacket is super cute. I saw his performance on the Today Show, well, I had it on mute. His tighty whities were showing and he was struggling to keep the jacket pulled down. He seemed totally uncomfortable and the camera tried to avoid him from the back, thank god.

Anonymous

he does realize he looks like a lesbian all the time, right?

Anonymous

I simply cannot get past the Ice Ice Baby hair.

Anonymous

Depends on how you’re defining fetal. I think at any rate it doesn’t belong on anyone over the age of 28.

Also, is he TRYING to look like a queer lady? Between the hair dye and styling and the ear piercings, he’s doing pretty well. He needs a nose piercing to get to the next level, though.

IMHO, I think the folks at TLo Industries are a bit too age-phobic. If it works, it works. Sure, I could imagine a 45-year-old dad picking up his kids from soccer sporting this coat, or even a 60-something on an executive retreat in Aspen. Why not? The fair isle print is classic, the varsity jacket is classic — why should this item be relegated to the land of the teen? They get enough of the good stuff already.

Anonymous

Totally fetal.

Anonymous

I’m sorry. I can’t get over how much he looks like a woman who comes into my work. I’m reserving judgement on him for 5 years. So far, he’s been too young to care about his music.
As for the jacket, I think it’ll work regardless of color. Varsity style is made for jocks, former jocks, and people shaped like them.

I don’t actually mind it, even if it is on the Bieber, though I have to say it looks better side-on than from the front. I have to say though, the first thing that flashed through my mind when I saw that last photo was “Vanilla Ice”, which to my mind isn’t a compliment but who knows these days!

It would only work for someone older during Christmas like right on Christmas or Eve. It would be a rather stylish expensive version of a Christmas sweater to wear in very limited circumstance. So if you have a lot of money to burn, yes! However you could think of it this way, the cost of that jacket could be converted into several good cashmere sweaters or how about a custom made pair of men shoes! There a very practical solution.

Nay. Unless Tom and Lorenzo or zillionaires.

Anonymous

I’m going to go even lower. Cute if you’re 8 or under. Really cute if you can wear it with tights and a skirt.

Anonymous

I think I’ve started to be like one of those internet superfans who can’t bear to hear any criticism of their pet celebrity, but instead of fiercely defending, like, Taylor Swift, I’m instead moved to protect Lorenzo and his right to wear crazy shit. This is funny because I don’t even know what Lorenzo looks like except for the caricature at the top of the blog, but my instinctive reaction to this question is “Of course it’s fine on a non-fetal gentleman; Lorenzo can wear whatever he waaaaaaaants!” Then I picture this jacket on, say, my coworker Jim, and it all falls apart. Still, my possibly irrational endorsement stands.